Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 19
Tvaritā-pūjā (The Worship of Tvaritā) — Transition Verse and Context
ॐ ह्रीं ह्रूं ह्रः हृदयं हां हृश्चेति शिरः ह्रीं ज्वल ज्जलशिखा स्यात् कवचं हनुद्वयम् ह्रीं श्रीं क्षून्नेत्रत्रयाय विद्यानेत्रं प्रकीर्तितम् क्षौं हः खौं हूं फडस्त्राय गुह्याङ्गानि पुरा न्यसेत् त्वरिताङ्गानि वक्ष्यामि विद्याङ्गानि शृणुष्व मे आदिद्विहृदयं प्रोक्तं त्रिचतुःशिर इष्यते
oṃ hrīṃ hrūṃ hraḥ hṛdayaṃ hāṃ hṛśceti śiraḥ hrīṃ jvala jjalaśikhā syāt kavacaṃ hanudvayam hrīṃ śrīṃ kṣūnnetratrayāya vidyānetraṃ prakīrtitam kṣauṃ haḥ khauṃ hūṃ phaḍastrāya guhyāṅgāni purā nyaset tvaritāṅgāni vakṣyāmi vidyāṅgāni śṛṇuṣva me ādidvihṛdayaṃ proktaṃ tricatuḥśira iṣyate
ॐ ह्रीं ह्रूं ह्रः—इति हृदय-न्यासः। हां हृश्च—इति शिरो-न्यासः। ह्रीं ज्वल ज्वलशिखा—इति कवचं, हनुद्वये न्यस्येत्। ह्रीं श्रीं क्षूं—त्रिनेत्राय विद्यानेत्रं प्रकीर्तितम्। क्षौं हः खौं हूं फड्—इत्यस्त्रं; पूर्वं गुह्याङ्गानि न्यसेत्। त्वरिताङ्गानि वक्ष्यामि, विद्याङ्गानि शृणुष्व मे; आदिद्विहृदयं प्रोक्तं, शिरस्तु त्रिचतुःप्रकारमिष्यते।
Lord Agni (instructing the sage Vasiṣṭha in mantra-nyāsa procedure)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Performing aṅga-nyāsa/karanyāsa-style protective installation using bīja-mantras for heart, head, kavaca, śikhā/netra, and astra—especially for Tvaritā/Vidyā protection.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Vidyā-aṅga-nyāsa: hṛdaya–śiras–kavaca–netra–astra with guhya-aṅga installation (Tvaritā)","lookup_keywords":["aṅga-nyāsa","hṛdaya-nyāsa","kavaca","netra-mantra","astra phaḍ"],"quick_summary":"Maps specific bīja/phrases to bodily loci (heart, head, armor, eyes, weapon) and instructs prior installation of secret limbs, forming a complete protective nyāsa sequence for the Vidyā/Tvaritā."}
Weapon Type: Astra (mantric weapon)
Concept: Mantra is embodied through nyāsa: sound (bīja) becomes protective structure (kavaca) and perception (netra), culminating in astra for warding obstacles.
Application: Use the specified mantras with correct loci and sequence (including guhya-aṅga) before japa/homa, especially in protective rites and siddhi-oriented practice.
Khanda Section: Mantra-nyasa and Tantra-vidya (Protective limb-installation for a Vidya/Mantra)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A sādhaka performing aṅga-nyāsa: touching heart, head, jaws/torso as kavaca, then eyes (trinetra symbolism), and finally projecting an astra with phaḍ; subtle flames rising as śikhā.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, frontal sādhaka with stylized gestures touching heart and head, three-eyed divine presence faintly behind, flame-like śikhā motif above, bold outlines, sacred red-black palette, yantra hints in background.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, central Tvaritā/Vidyā-devī with halo and gold work, sādhaka at lower register doing nyāsa mudrās, gold highlights on trinetra and flame-śikhā, ornate jewelry and border.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, didactic composition: sequential panels showing hṛdaya, śiras, kavaca (jaw/torso), netra (three eyes), astra (phaḍ) projection; soft colors, fine lines, clear hand positions.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, intimate interior with practitioner seated on carpet, manuscript open with bīja syllables, attendant holding lamp, subtle depiction of gestures to heart/head/eyes, delicate flame motif above crown."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: hṛś + ca + iti → hṛśceti; jvala + jvala (orthographic doubling in text) resolved as jvala jvala; kṣūṃ + netratrayāya → kṣūnnetratrayāya (anusvāra/na-sandhi); phaḍ + astrāya → phaḍastrāya; ādi + dvi + hṛdayam → ādidvihṛdayam.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 309.20 (classification of śikhā/kavaca/netra); Agni Purana mantra-kavaca and nyāsa subsections within the same khanda
FAQs
It gives a precise nyāsa-map for the Tvaritā-vidyā: which bīja-syllables are installed as heart, head, armor (kavaca), vidyā-eye (netra), and weapon (astra), including a note on ‘double-heart’ and multi-part head installations.
Beyond mythology, the Agni Purāṇa catalogs operational ritual technology—mantra anatomy (aṅga), protective seals (kavaca), projection mantras (astra/phaḍ), and standardized nyāsa procedures—showing it functions as a manual of applied religious practice.
Nyāsa is intended to internalize the deity/vidyā within the practitioner’s body and establish protective boundaries, framing mantra-recitation as a consecrated act that supports purification, warding, and focused sādhana.